Crab, crème fraiche and marigold tart

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Serves 6

Crab, crème fraiche and marigold tart

Ingredients

Herbal-flavoured flowers, such as
marigold, thyme, marjoram or chive flowers, can be mixed into
savoury custards or sautéed with onions or shallots to add a
peppery or herbalnote to dishes such as
tarts or tortillas.They are perfect for a
summery tasting light lunch if served with a leafy salad. This
recipe uses ready-made shortcrust pastry, but you can, of course,
make your own if you wish.

300g ready-made all-butter shortcrust pastry

Plain flour, for flouring

300g white crabmeat

200ml crème fraiche

1 medium egg, plus

1 medium egg yolk

2-3 tablespoons fresh pot marigold petals

30g finely grated Parmesan

Pinch of cayenne pepper

To serve:A leafy
salad

Method

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a
23cm shallow quiche dish. Prick the base of the pastry, line with
greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Chill for 30
minutes.

Heat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/mark 6. Bake the pastry
case in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans
and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.

Squeeze excess liquid out of the crabmeat,
then spread out on to aplate and pick out
any shell fragments.Beat together the
crème fraiche, the egg and extra egg yolk, marigold petals,
crabmeat and Parmesan. Season with salt, freshly ground black
pepper and cayenne pepper.

Tip into the pastry case and bake in the oven for 25 minutes,
or until golden and set. Serve warm or cold.

To
drink: With the crab
and marigold tart, a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Gris (more opulent
than SauvignonBlanc):Brancott Estate MarlboroughSauvignon 2014, £10.49, Tesco and Ocado. For the sour
cream, onion and thyme-flower tart recipe below, a
Sauvignon Gris or dry or off-dry Riesling will both work well. Wine
details correct at original magazine publication date.

From the June 2015 issue of House & Garden.
Recipe by Sybil Kapoor; photograph by Maja Smead; food preparation
and styling by Bianca Nice; table styling by Alexander
Breeze; wine recommendations by Joanna Simon.

Top tips

Variation: Sour cream, onion and thyme-flower tart

Prepare the pastry according to the
recipe and chill. Dice 2 large onions and fry in 4 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil for 15 minutes or until soft, then mix in 1
tablespoon thyme flowers and fry for 5 minutes. Beat together 1 egg
yolk, 1 egg and 200ml sour cream, mix in the cooked onions and
season to taste. Pour into the pastry case, sprinkle with 30g
Lancashire or cheddar cheese and bake for 25 minutes